Train-pipe coupling.



(No Model.)

.1. REDFERN.

TRAIN PIPEl COUPLING.

(Application filed Nov. 3, 1898.)

illlllllll'llllm/ l' Patented'luly 25, |899.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH EEDFERN, on WILMEEDTNG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of( Letters Patent No. 629,469, dated July25, 1899.

Application liled November 3, 1898. Serial No. 695,410. (No model.)

To all wwr/t it '1n/ty concer/1,:

, Beit known that I, JOSEPH REDFERN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilmerding, in the county of-Allegheny, State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrain-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to train-pipe couplings, and particularly to acombined automatic air-brake coupling and angle-cock in which the valvewill be closed when the cou pling is disconnected and similarly openedwhen the coupling is properly assembled, thus dispensing with the usualangle-'cock located on the train-pipe.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved construction ofvalve in the coupling-body, whereby a movement of the coupling ispermitted without altering the position ofV the valve so as to aifectthe passage through the train-pipes.

The invention also has for an object to present a construction adaptedto operate in -connection with the ordinary forms of air-pipe couplings,whereby the valve will be auto matically opened and closed as the pipesare connected and disconnected,respectively, and in the event of a'breakof the coupling the valve will be left open, so as toapply the brakes,and thus inform the engineer of the accident. The invention has for afurther'object to improve the details of construction of the valve andits operating-lever, whereby the Same will be positively operated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side'elevation of two ordinary air-pipecouplings with the parts in .the positionrst assumed when coupling orconnecting the same together. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts inthe completed coupled position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of one ofthe coupler-bodies. Fig. 4 is an end view of `a coupler-body. Fig. .5 isa top view of a similar part. Figs. 6, 7,

S, and 9 are detail perspectives of the packing-gasket, valve,valve-casing, and valvelever, respectively.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings.

The invention has been shown as applied to the ordinary form ofair-brake hose-coup,

ling; but it can be applied to any desired or preferred forni ofcoupling-body, as will be hereinafter seen. In the form illustrated thehead or body A is provided with the usual wing A', lip A2, and nipple orneck A3, to which the flexible hose is connected. Within the body A ofeach coupler a valve-casing B, provided with ports B', is located, andwithin this casing a valve C, provided with ports C', is'snugly iitted,said valve having a stem C2 and wrench-hold CIS. Y Above the valve andextending beyond the inner face of the head an elastic packinggasket Dis y seated within a slightly-dovetailed recess D2, formed in the upperpart of the valve-case B, and is held in position by a split metallicring D'. Surrounding the stem C2 of said valve C and seated within arecess A4 of the coupler-body A is an expanding spring E, which bears atone end against the body of the coupler and at the opposite end againstthe inner face of a valve-lever F, which is applied to the wrench-holdC3 of the valve C.

The valve-lever F is provided with an inwardly-extending fiange F',which extends' circumferentially 0f the face or end of the coupler andis provided with a short lug F2 and a longer lug F3. The difference inlength,

however, is not essential to the operation, but

'is ycompletely open, and the lug G', against which the edge of thevalveflever will bear when thevalve is closed.l

IOO

In assembling this coupling the members thereof are held in aslightly-upward position, as usual, and the lip upon one member engagedbehind the wing upon the other. At this time the ports in the valve Cwill all be closed and the lugs FB are upon the under or lower side ofthe coupling. The continued downward movement of the members toward aStraight line will bring the lug F2 upon the lever F into contact withthe edge of a wing, whereby, the continued movement into an inclinedposition below a horizontal line will shift the lever F and open theports of the valve, establishing communication between the connectingtrain-pipes. At this time the parts are in the position shown in Fig.2,with the upper edge of the valve-lever F in contact with the lug G,and the lug G' is at a distance from the other or lower edge of thevalve-lever F. This is due to the fact that these lugs are notdiametrically opposite* that is, the face of the lug G is on a linethrough the center of the valve-stem, while the lug G is slightly inadvance of such a line. These stop-lugs limit the movement of thevalve-lever in its opposite directions and 'determine positively whenthe parts are fully opened and closed.

It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the longer lugs F3 are each atadistance from the lower edge of the wings A'. This is to permit amovement of the members without affecting the valve-lever-as, forinstance, when the distance between the cars of a train is increasedincident to running around a curve or other cause. Such strain upon theliexible members of the train-pipe causes the same to rise from theirusually depressed position into substantially a straight line, and it isessential that this movement should occur without aecting the flow ofair through the train system. A further important advantage ot' thisfeature of construction `is that in the event ot' breakage ot theflexible connection or other parts the valves will be left open and thebrakes consequently immediately applied, when the air is allowed toescape from the coupling through any pulling apart or breaking ofthesame, which may occur from any accidental canse. When an employeedesires to disconnect the coupling, the bodies A are raised into aposition above a horizontal line,

as shown in Fig. 1, when the lugs F3 engage the lower edge of the wingsA', which shifts the valves, so that when the coupling is separated thevalve ports are tightly closed. Vhen this position of the parts isreached, the lug G will bear against t-he lower wall of the lever F.

In'the application similar coupling-bodies have been illustrated andeach of the same provided with the valve described; but the constructionpermits the use of a couplinghe,ad not having a valve in its body, asthe lever `F is adapted to be operated by the usual wing present upontrain-pipe couplings of this general character. It can also be used toequal advantage in that type ol couplinghead which is provided with a`cross-pin extending from the wing to the body, as illustrated in dottedlines on Fig. 5. The coupling is thus intended and adapted forapplication and connection with a similar coupling or with any of theusual forms of air-brake couplings.

It is obvious that the con figuration and construction ot` the detailsof this invention may be altered without affecting the spirit of theinvention as detined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with one member of a coupling, of a valve andvalve-operating device adapted to be operated by an adjacent couplingmember and constructed and arranged to permit movement of the adjacentmember without operating the valve when the members move vertically intosubstantially the horizontal plane of their train-pipe connections;substantially as specified.

2. The combination with one member 0l' a coupling,V of a valve andvalve-operating device extending into the path of an adjacent couplingmember and constructed and arranged to permit movement of the adjacentmember without operating the valve when the members move vertically intosubstantially the horizontal plane of their train-pipe connections;substantially as specified.

3. The combination with one member of a coupling, ot' a valve, avalve-operating device having projections extending into the path of anadjacent coupling member, said projections being spaced to permit amovement-ot the adjacent member without operating the valve when themembers move vertically into substantially the horizontal plane of theirtrain-pipe connections; substantially as specied.

4. The combination with a coupling member, of a valve carried thereby, avalve-operating device provided with projections exing spaced a greaterdistance apart than the length of said wing to permit said members tomove vertically into substantially the horizontal plane ot' theirtrain-pipe connections without operating the valve; substantially asspecified.

5. The combination with a coupling member, ot' a valve carried thereby,a valve-oper ating device provided with projections extending into thepath of a wing upon an adjacent coupling member, said projections beingspaced a greater distance apart than the length of said wing, andstop-lugs located to limit the movement of said operating device;substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a coupling member, of a valve, a valve-operatingdevice provided with .a laterally-extending flange circumferential tothe coupling, and projections IOO IIO

`from the opposite ends of said ange extending into the path of a wingcarried by an adjacent coupling member, said projections being spaced agreater distance apart than the length of said Wing to permit saidmembers to move vertically into substantially the horizontal plane oftheir train-pipe connections Without operating the valve; substantiallyas specified.

7. In a coupling` member, the combination of a valve-seat provided withports, a valve located upon said seat and having a stem projectingthrough the coupling member,a spring surrounding said stern and bearingupon the coupling member,a valve-operating lever connected to the outerend of said stem and ex- .tending into the path of an adjacent couplingmember; substantially as specified.

8. In a coupling member, the combination of a Valve-seat provided withports, a valve located upon said seat and having a stem projectingthrough the coupling member,a spring surrounding said stem and bearingupon the coupling member,a valve-operatinglever connected to the outerend of said stem and extending into the path of an adjacent couplingmember, a packing-gasket at the inner face 'of said valve-casing, andstop-lugs upon the outer face of the coupling member; substantially asspeciied.

9. In a coupling member7 the combination of a valve-seat provided withports, a valve located upon said seat and having a stem projectingthrough the coupling member,a spring surrounding said stem and bearingupon the coupling member, an adjacent coupling member provided with aWing, and a valve-operating device provided With projections spaced agreater distance apart than the longitudinal area of said Wing;substantially as speciiied.

l0. In a coupling member, the combination of a valve-seat provided withports, a valve located upon said seat and having a stein projectingthrough the coupling member,a spring` surrounding said stem and bearingupon the coupling member, an adjacent coupling member provided With aWing, and a valve-operating device provided vvith projections ofdifferent lengths and spaced a greater distance apart than thelongitudinal area of said Wing; substantially as specified.

11. The combination of a coupling member, a valve-casing locatedtherein, a valve pro vided with ports and located Within said casing,a'valve-stem extending through the cou pling member, a tension-sprin gto exert a pressure upon said stem, a valve-operating lever providedwith a lateral ange, inwardly-extending projections from the oppositeends of said ange, and an adjacent coupling member provided with a Wingof less longitudinal area than the distance between said projections;substantially as specified.

12. The combination of a coupling member, a valve-casing locatedtherein, a` valve provided With ports and located Within said casing, avalve-stem extending through the coupling member, a tension-spring toexert a pressure upon said stem, a valve-operating lever provided with alateral flange inwardly-extending projections from the opposite edge ofsaid flange, an adjacent coupling member provided with a Wing of lesslongitudinal area than the distance between said projections, a packinglocated'ina recess provided in said valve-casing, andoppositely-disposed stopllugs to limit the movement of said valve-lever;substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH REDFERN.

Vitnesses: n

ISAAC LLOYD, DAVID JAMES.

